Return
by XxXTigerstarzXxX
Summary: After all this time, Sasuke has returned from his mission away from home as the Konoha spy for Orochimaru and Akatsuki. How does team 7 react? More importantly, How does Sakura react? SasuSaku. Slight NaruHina. R&R!
1. Prologue

**Summary:** Summary: After all this time, Sasuke has returned from his mission away from home as the Konoha spy for Orochimaru and Akatsuki. How does team 7 react? More importantly, how does Sakura react? SasuSaku. Slight NaruHina.

**A/N:** Ok, so this is what I came up with just randomly one day… Here goes….

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto I don't think I would be writing this…

Prologue:

In the middle of nowhere was a man. He stood erect on a natural rock overhang, above a lone desert canyon. He was alone, other than the magnificent hawk circling above his ebony spikes.

A scroll around the hawk's leg caused his curiosity to spark, and he allowed his arm to become a perch for the bird.

Quickly, but gracefully, as the Uchiha always were, he released the seal over the message with ease and rolled out the scroll. His onyx eyes widened with shock as they roved the paper.

Finally, after these long four years of betrayal and lies, he could return. Hebi would be disbanded and he would never have to lay eyes on his troublesome teammates again.

As of this moment, he wouldn't have to hurt his comrades just to pass as Orochimaru's apprentice or Akatsuki's follower. He could train with his old team, and become a loyal ninja of Konoha once more.

He could reunite himself with his family-team 7.

For the first time in four years, Sasuke Uchiha could return home.


	2. Sight

**A/N:** Hi readers!!!!

Firstly, I'd like to thank my first two reviewers, fishgirlclw (who had the idea for an awesome disclaimer) and broken-heart-crossing! Thanks guys!

Secondly, I forgot to say that I'd be updating every week, usually before Sunday. I do the same thing for my other stories, so Sunday is deadline day! ;)

Also, speaking of deadlines, I'm really sorry that this is late… I've been really busy lately and I can only type with one had at the moment. I bruised my palm and am currently icing it. XP

Anyway, on with the show…

* * *

**Chapter 1: Sight**

Sakura was laying in the comforts of her bed, on her lazy Saturday morning-her first day off in _months_. It was only nine o'clock, and to Sakura, it felt as good as sleeping until noon.

She was in absolute Kunoichi heaven.

That is, until obscenely loud knocks came from the other side of her door. For a few minutes, Sakura just waited for them to disappear. She didn't really care. Tsunade had promised her a day off, no matter what, and she intended for her plans to stay that way.

But the obnoxious pounding continued.

So unwillingly, Sakura stumbled to the door, already gathering chakra in her fist to give whoever woke her- and the entire neighborhood- up with their relentless beating of her door.

As soon as she reached the door, she tore it open so forcefully that it was nearly ripped off it's hinges.

Sakura leaned in to deliver the punch- to no one other than a blonde knuckleheaded ninja. However, Naruto wasn't standing, he was on the ground, already sporting a huge red bump.

"Sakura chaan..." He muttered dizzily, "You hit me with your retard door… Do I need another punch?!"

At that, the pink haired kunoichi smirked, angling her head to look at her door- probably the only one in Konoha beaten so frequently that it now opened outwards.

She chuckled.

"Baka!" She smiled, and offered a hand to her teammate.

Once Naruto was standing, her smile grew again. She wasn't sure why, but today felt like a rather lucky day. Maybe Naruto would actually leave her alone for a while, to catch up on social stuff.

In her tired daze, she muttered "Naruto, what are you doing here exactly?"

That left the blond ninja to smile sheepishly and run a hand through his hair. "Ummm.... Sorry Sakura chan… When you hit me, I forgot…"

Sakura just closed the door in his face.

When she was just about to belly-flop back onto her bed, another series of pounds erupted from the doorway, where Naruto still stood.

Sakura groaned, sure that her comrade could hear her. Then, once again she walked to the door and slammed it outwards in his face. This time, to Sakura's disappointment, he didn't go flying into the streets. He just backed away, smiling despite the second bump on his face.

"I remembered! Tsunade Obaa-chan wanted to see you-"

But before the last words formed in his mouth, Sakura was a pink blur across the rooftops. If Tsunade wanted to see her now, she had to get there _fast._ For two reasons; If Sakura was late, her sensei would lecture her endlessly about if she were doing something important-how she could've saved a life, defeated the enemy more quickly, blah blah blah…

And it was because something would be_ incredibly _important for the Godaime to go back on her word.

She didn't even noticed the windblown Naruto still standing on her porch.

* * *

Sakura burst into the Hokage's tower and ran in the maze of hallways like there was no tomorrow. When she finally approached the her sensei's office, she skidded over the carpet to attempt to quietly, she wiped the dust off her clothes and knocked on the door.

When Tsunade barked her abnormally quiet approval to enter the office, Sakura threw open the door and advanced inward.

The office was exactly the same as it was, without any signs of emergency or irregularity. Even Tsunade seemed mostly calm, with only a sliver of uneasiness in her eyes- surely unnoticeable to anyone but her student.

"Tsunade-sama… why did you summon me?" She queried, allowing her demanding and urgency to enter her voice.

Usually, if it was nothing serious Tsunade would crack a grin and order her to complete some minor task for "the greater good" or just for some of her personal gain… with sake or extremely exotic medical supplies.

However, the Hokage did not begin grinning, or giving stupid commands, or anything of the sort. Instead she motioned for Sakura to glance into the shadows in the corner of her office by the window-where a barely noticeable silhouette stood against the pale outline of the fading night.

The figure shifted as he undoubtedly felt the heat of her gaze, and in a single second, Sakura came to a sudden realization.

That spiked hair… The tall, brooding figure… The dimmed crest embalazoned on his back…

It was Sasuke Uchiha.

Hot tears threatened to flood over her frozen face, but her iron will to stay strong forced them back. Quickly and gracefully, she unsheathed a kunai from the holster on her leg, immediately falling into an offensive stance. If she needed to harm him to bring him to his senses, so be it.

Slowly, Sasuke turned, giving her an emotionless glance over his shoulder. His eyes were a black abyss.

But that didn't affect Sakura. She kept her stance strong and firm, the will of fire burning brightly in her viridian eyes.

Lethally, Sakura whipped her blade around, aiming for a vital spot on her opponent that would render him helpless for the time being- so he would be forced to remain in Konoha. He couldn't escape now.

"Sakura!"

Tsunade was gripping her apprentice's wrist tightly, forcing her to loosen her hands around the kunai in her struggle. Sakura grit her teeth-Inner Sakura roared for her to continue with her advance toward her former teammate.

" Stop, Sakura!" Tsunade yelled again, " Don't attack him! He's returned by his own will. "

The younger kunoichi froze. She stared at the ninja before her, eyes boring into his and drowning in them as she always had. But there was something missing.

At her stillness, the Hokage released Sakura, watching her intently for any reaction. In a quick motion, Sakura stumbled back, her kunai clattering loudly on the floor.

"He's returned from his mission." whispered the Godaime.

* * *

**A/N:** Yes! Cliffhanger!:P

Once again, I'm really sorry that this is late. I had to type a good chunk with only one hand… meep. XD

I'll update by next week!

R&R!!!

PS~ As of now I have a very loose idea of where the story is going, so when you review (which you will, right? *eyes and chakra begin blazing*), please give any suggestions for the plot that you have! I would REALY appreciate it!

Ja ne!


	3. Truth

**A/N:** Chapter two is out! Yet!

Disclaimer: Because I'm tired and lazy at the moment, I'll just say I don't own Naruto. There.

Enjoy! XD

Chapter Two: Truth

* * *

Sakura just stared.

"_He's completed his mission…"_

Her eyes clouded as she receded into the depths of her mind. Sasuke was back… on orders…? He had left four years ago for a mission? He had left her and team 7 and _everyone_ for a _mission?_

I just wouldn't register in her mind that he had returned.

At that moment, the only thing that allowed her to resurface from her thoughts was the slamming of the door behind her.

"Sakura-chan, why'd you take off-" He stopped dead in his tracks, blue eyes blazing with shock as he gazed at his best friend.

Immediately his hands curled into hard fists- so clenched that his knuckles began to whiten.

"Sasuke!" he muttered. "SASUKE! What are you doing here?!"

The only response from is broody teammate was a simple "tch".

And that seemed to infuriate Naruto. As his eyes glowed red, chakra danced at his fingertips and spiraled into the legendary blue rasengan that he had learned so many years ago.

"NARUTO! JUST STOP ALREADY!" Screamed the Hokage, obviously displeased that she had to stop two determined and violent teenagers from harming their best friend/crush in a single day.

Despite the contorting look on Tsunade's face and the steel in her command, the rasengan continued to grow- until Sakura slipped a hand behind his head and knocked him out.

Sasuke just turned to face Konoha again, without a remark.

* * *

Slowly, Naruto came around. The black faded at the corner of his vision to reveal his pink-haired teammate.

"S-sakura?" he asked, eyes locked with hers. "What happened?"

She blinked and turned her head to look at her sensei.

"Naruto, before I say what I need to say, just shut up and calm down. I won't tolerate anything other than silence and respect." The Godaime paused, tired eyes growing sharper. "In other words, if you lose it again I'll do worse than knock you out."

Quickly the blonde stumbled to his feet shooting a questioning glance at his superior before shifting it to the spot where Sasuke had been before.

Blue eyes stared at the Uchiha, urging himself not to attack then and there- for not only Tsunade held him back with her threat, but there was a different air around his comrade now. He seemed more distant than he had once been… but not evil as he was before.

" Naruto, Sakura- Sasuke didn't leave why you thought he did." The Godaime began, easing down behind her desk. "He was a spy."

"During the Chunin exam he exhibited the skills and knowledge of a special jonin level- and even the curse mark proved him to be the perfect candidate for his mission. His mission was issued by the Third Hokage and his advisors- to report all of Orochimaru's teachings to him about the curse seal and other forbidden jutsu and techniques that he picked up. The mission was originally thought to end when Sasuke assassinated Orochimaru, but the council changed its mind, and asked him to spy on Akatsuki as well. Now, thanks to Sasuke, and hidden leaf shinobi, other than Uchiha Madara- the one they call Tobi- there are no surviving Akatsuki members whatsoever.

"And now the council, who's kept this mission a secret from even me, have declared Sasuke's mission a success. I have all the paperwork- even signed and sealed by the Third himself.

"Thanks to this success we have learned numerous bits of information about Sound and other enemy countries and have learned how to treat the curse mark's victims-not that Sasuke will need it anymore though."

Tsunade cast her gaze over to the Uchiha, who had turned to face his former comrades.

"Also, about Sasuke's… performance… it was for the sake of not himself, but the village. It was just too important for this mission to succeed. It was a large price to pay to even pretend to fight his teammates- but it was paid. And it's over now."

The room was silent.

For what seemed like years, there was not so much as even a rustle of clothing or a breeze through the window.

Then Naruto spoke.

"Y-your… back?" he stuttered, his expression distant and confused as cerulean met onyx.

A bob of Sasuke's head seemed enough proof to Naruto. A grin burst out on his face, spreading from ear to ear as he strode over to his old friend and slung an arm around his shoulder.

"Get off me, dobe." Came the quiet response. Naruto just laughed and said "We should fight some time teme. I wanna see how much stronger you got-I'm gonna beat you to a pulp no matter how much you learned with that creepy snake pedophile!"

'_How on earth can Naruto be like that?' _Sakura wondered. She recalled the terrible things that Sasuke had put her through… all for a **mission.** Was she really that useless to him? After all she had done for him, she learned that her true love had done the terrible just because some group of old people asked him to- despite her feelings? Naruto's feelings? Kakashi's feelings?

'_Don't we matter to Sasuke-kun anymore? How could he do that to his _friends?_'_

It was just too cruel.

While Naruto babbled on she barely had the strength to mutter "Sasuke-kun…?"

When stoic onyx eyes met hers, she barely saw him. Sure, she saw the tall, raven-haired man before her- but he wasn't _her_ Sasuke-kun anymore. He was gone- evaporated by his life as an avenger, constantly fueled with hatred.

Almost unnoticeably, she took a step towards him, determined to forgive him for all the pain he caused not only her- _everyone_.

But she just couldn't.

* * *

**A/N: **So how was that?

Ok, so first I would like to say that, yes; Sakura is currently hating Sasuke and loving him at the same time. Before you hate me let me say that she's just really confused about the whole thing, where as Naruto is simple-minded enough not to care. XD

(***Kind-of-spoiler alert***) In the next few chapters she will realize that the Sasuke she knew years ago is still there, and she wants to bring him out- but she still can't forgive him for what he did to her, so she can't quite trust him. (***End-of-spoiler*)**

Finally, I wanted to thank "Love-Is-Tragedy," "Kaelin The Black Swan," "Hitsugaya's GreenEyes," and "nightwish635" for reviewing chapter 1! It means a lot!

Hopefully when you guys review (please review!), could you add some info on how you want this story to go? It would be awesome!

Stick around for next chapter!

L8ter! :)


	4. Choice

Return: Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hello again! :)

This isn't going to be much of an author's note because I know you want to get on with reading the chapter, but I have to thank my reviewers, "nightwish635," "Histugaya's GreenEyes," "Kaeline The Black Swan," "cherryblossomdream," "LadyRen5," and " 'Sera lee' " Thanks for leaving awesome suggestions! XD

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, but I DO own this fic. ;)

Onto ze chapter…

* * *

For Sasuke it was certainly an awkward moment. Naruto was punching him on his shoulder- hard enough to leave a bruise, with his eyes all happy, and gleaming from tears that threatened to overflow. A ridiculous grin covered his face as he babbled on about him seeing Kakashi sensei and the rest of the Konoha 11.

Sakura, on the other hand, was acting oddly.

She was just standing there and staring. Her beautiful eyes were distant, but still bore into his. To Sasuke's surprise she didn't cry, from either sadness or happiness- she was almost as stoic as an Uchiha. It was very unlike her.

When she muttered something almost inaudible, Sasuke's black head snapped up.

"Didn't he have a choice?" She whispered, her eyes now concealed behind her pink bangs.

Nobody heard her but her long-lost comrade, (Naruto wouldn't stop talking, and Tsunade was taking a swig of Sake) naturally he didn't answer. At this matter, he would rather not say what drove him onward. It was his burden to bear.

At the end of Tsunade's abnormally large gulp of Sake, she silenced them-or rather a certain knucklehead-by slamming the bottle on her desk.

"Now," She began, "Sasuke will need a place to stay for the next few days, and preferably not a public one. In the ninja barracks he's as good as dead, and at a hotel the police force will be called immediately to restrain him. One of your apartments will do. Once again, it's only for a few days- until I can announce to the town that Sasuke has returned without any threat. Naruto-"

"Tsunade-sama, he can stay at my place! You don't mind sleeping on the floor, right Sasuke? I-"

"No." Came the Hokage, " I was about to say that your apartment is too small for anything but a bed and a few cartons of ramen." She wrinkled her nose. "And it smells like butt."

The Godaime turned to Sakura.

"You have room, don't you Sakura? And your apartment is at the side of town- it'll be a good hiding place… not many people live in that area. Sasuke wouldn't be detected there."

Sakura just gave a simplistic nod. The only reason she did was because her sensei asked her to.

"Good. You're dismissed. All of you."

It took almost all of Sakura's willpower not to sprint out the door. Instead she forced a small smile and followed Naruto out the door. In the hall the three stopped and were silent for a moment, before Naruto announced that he had to meet team 10 for Ramen at Ichiraku and left.

It was silent again. For only a few minutes, Sasuke and Sakura stared at eachother.

Finally it was broken by Sakura, who still wore her fake smile. " Um, Sasuke, you can go ahead to my apartment, I'll be there later. It's in a brick building at the east end of town, by a market and a few small stores. I'm in room 107 on the first floor- there's a street entrance."

There was a small "Hn" of her teammate and the rustling of his black cape, and he was gone.

Sakura sighed, and headed outside, where she slowly wandered the Konoha streets. She passed laughing children playing ninja, and civilians chatting amongst each other, all of which seemed untroubled in the way she was.

* * *

Quietly, she made her way to training ground three.

When Sakura arrived, she was pleased to see that it was empty. She was alone with her memories.

Long shadows hung from the posts in the center of the field from the fading sun and orange sky. She approached the posts quietly, and brushed her hands against the dented wood, feeling where the kunai had struck.

She pressed her back to the wood in the middle and slid down to the yellowed grass, her head meeting her knees softly as the tears began to slide down her cheeks.

It was so confusing. '_Sasuke is my life. I love him, but he left everyone for power. He's probably murdered hundreds of innocent people just to do what some old retards told him to do. I love him just like I did years ago… but he's not my Sasuke-kun any more.'_

* * *

A few hours had passed, and Sakura stood up, dusting the dirt from her clothes. She sighed and trudged out of the training ground. She began the long walk back to her apartment, to where she was anxious to see her comrade again.

A small while later, her feet echoed on the road in the shadow of her building. Quickly she opened her door and advanced in.

If she didn't know of Sasuke's return yet, she would have assumed that she was greeted by an empty house. The lights were off, and everything was in perfect position as it was how she kept it. Even Sasuke's chakra was dormant.

Her fingers searched for the switch and when the lights flickered on her eyes roved her apartment.

The kitchen looked empty from the view she had from the doorway. Her bedroom seemed empty as well. So, slowly Sakura walked into her living room. At first it looked as if Sasuke wasn't there either.

The couch was empty in the middle of the room, a small polished coffee table sat a few feet in front of it. Colorful paintings decorated the walls where shelves didn't tower against them and were absolutely filled with books of all sorts. A deep-set window dominated one of the walls, where her old photo of team seven sat.

Sakura barely noticed the black figure hunched by the window in the corner of her living room.

It was Sasuke, with his head leaned against the wall and legs curled upward by his chest, arms resting on his knees.

He was asleep.

At first, Sakura debated whether to wake him, and show him the guest room or to let him stay sleeping. He looked so peaceful with his onyx eyes closed and his features relaxed. She could've sworn that he almost smiled.

She sided with the latter and flopped down on her own bed, darkness quickly consuming her vision.

* * *

**A/N:** Chapter 3, done!

This took a really long time to write. I had no idea what to do with it at first, because I kind of needed a filler-like chapter with Sakura's deep-down reaction.

Next chapter, Sasuke had to deal at Sakura's house, and both Kakashi and the Konoha 11 (or at least a few of it's members) will visit Sasuke to either try to beat him up or praise him for his mission's success… or do nothing.

And finally, I have a random funny joke to top it all off. When my friend was reading this (I forced her to read the story, quite literally actually) she saw a line in chapter one that made her crack up, and here is what came of it…

Sakura's POV: "That spiked hair... That tall brooding figure... The dim crest embalazoned on his back... It was the stalker from the bar that tried to follow me home last night!!!" (but I killed him...whoopsi-daisy!) Wait, is he back from the dead?! I hope he's not mad at me! XD

Ok, End of extremely long Author's note!

Ja ne!


	5. Eyes

**A/N: **I'm sorry! I'm late I know! Don't hate me, please! XP

I had pretty much the worst week of my life. 1- I was down with a really bad sickness for longer than I have ever been in more than 3 whole years 2- My guitar broke (it's fixed now though) 3- I had a math test and I'm pretty sure I failed 4-A teacher that I asked for information on a program ended up signing me up for said program, without my actual consent, so I'm suck doing it 5- I haven't had a chance to do anything BUT homework for the past… 8 days? . Fun. O.o

*pant * * pant*

Ok, one complaining. Sorry again! XD

This author's note is too long as it is…

On with the next chapter!

* * *

_As cool hands held her, a silver blade sliced through the air, emitting a low whistle as it sped towards her. Though it meant certain death to simply stand there, Sakura was transfixed as moonlight ricocheted from the metal and illuminated the shadowed eyes of her predator. She tried to move- if even the slightest bit- but she was paralyzed by his gaze._

_In the split second before agony came a voice. His voice. _

"_Thank you, Sakura." _

_Then crimson tears spattered over the emerald grass and fallen cherry blossoms._

Sakura woke with her heart hammering and a sheen of sweat coating her skin. Her viridian eyes scanned the room for danger, a ninja instinct, but seeing nothing, she relaxed her sore muscles.

As the memories of the previous day flooded through her mind, Sakura lowered her head onto her knees and allowed her hair to cover her eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Sasuke.

She was overjoyed that he was home now, where he belonged. He was her long-lost comrade returned to her, but still seemed far away… untrustworthy. As she wiped the moisture from her eyes, Sakura stood up silently and shuffled to her closet where she removed a few simple articles of clothing- a tan tank-top and black shorts- before making her way to the bathroom across the hall.

After dressing she turned to the mirror and nearly flinched at her appearance. Pink hair stuck to her face from the moisture and her eyes looked wild and shadowy. Almost immediately, Sakura switched on the faucet's warm water and began splashing her face.

Heck, it felt good.

A few minutes after practically burning her features off, Sakura emerged into the hallway and into her kitchen. Not particularly hungry, she plucked a yogurt from the refrigerator and scarfed it down in a few bites. As she tossed the container into the trash, she wondered what on earth Sasuke liked. Obviously tomatoes, but what would he want for a breakfast?

Sighing, Sakura trudged into her carpeted living room where the raven-haired Uchiha stood staring at the colorful wall opposite him.

For a moment the two didn't even acknowledge one another's presence. The silence was broken by a small "good morning" on Sakura's part.

"Hn" was his only reply as stoic onyx eyes met hers.

Sakura visibly stiffened. The shock was like a thousand volt raikiri slamming into her gut.

Those eyes.

The ebony eyes that she had looked into for years were the exact replicas of those belonging to her opponent in her nightmare. They belonged to the man that had killed her within the confines of her unconscious mind.

Sensing her shock, Sasuke's eyes softened. He had expected this from his comrades- from Naruto, and Kakashi, and all the others- but definitely not from Sakura. With the terrified expressions and dulled eyes he could tell that Sakura had been restless all night. It tortured him to see a friend like that.

"_Sakura…"_

"Sakura."

Her pink head snapped upwards and her eyes brightened again and she placed a small smile over her lips.

"Sorry Sasuke-kun," she muttered. "I zoned out… so what do you want for breakfast?"

For a moment he was quiet, before mumbling " whatever."

Sakura sighed and walked into the kitchen again with Sasuke taking a few large strides behind her.

Once again, Sakura plucked a tomato from the fridge- a raw tomato- and handed it to him. To Sakura's surprise, he actually bit into the tomato like an apple.

It was strange… she had never actually seen him eat before. He still looked amazing, even while shoving the red fruit into his mouth.

* * *

The sun was now at it's peak in the sky, and Sakura had dressed in her ninja gear to run an errand to the Hokage's tower along with Sasuke. Right before the two departed, Sasuke performed a basic transformation jutsu and became a tall red-haired teen. He was totally unrecognizeable other than his onyx eyes- still as unnerving as ever.

The strange pair wandered leisurely on the streets of Konoha, Sasuke's eyes swerving from side to side to observe the village. It hadn't changed much. From the outskirts of the city to the heart of the city, there was practically nothing different. Even Ichiraku's was still open- probably only because of a single certain someone. An orange knuckleheaded someone.

"How does it feel?"

Sasuke turned his head to look at Sakura.

"How does it feel to be back?" She asked, her eyes growing misty once again as she stared out in front of her.

He paused before answering, looking up at the clear blue sky- not just rock over his head, or air streaming with pollution or dust. His eyes darted around the streets again, observing the pedestrians and friendly shops.

"Hn." He muttered softly, a smirk gracing his lips and his eyes lighting just slightly.

Sakura smiled at his response. He was such a mystery.

Gradually, the large red tower came into view of the pair, and they advanced in slowly, not expecting what they saw in the Hokage's office.

Leaning against the window next to Tsunade's desk was none other than Kakashi Hatake.

"Ah, you two have arrived." Spoke the Godaime, before turning her head to the curious-looking jonin. "This is the someone you'd like to see, Kakashi."

Then she motioned for Sasuke to release his jutsu. As the surrounding cloud faded, Kakashi's eye widened. Surprise and anger burned in the ebony, as he stared at his former pupil- the gaze unnerving even Sasuke.

"Tsunade-sama…" He spoke, angling his head to the Hokage, "Why is he here?"

Once again, Tsunade had to explain Sasuke's mission for Konoha. An hour passed when finally the silver haired jonin nodded in understanding. Soundlessly he advanced towards the Uchiha, who tensed as he came closer.

"So… Sasuke Uchiha… you are a hero." His black eyes grew softer and he placed a hand on his pupil's shoulder, "but those who don't help their friends are even worse than scum."

He then approached the open window by the Hokage's desk and hopped out.

"Oh, and welcome back to team seven." Then he disappeared in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto were all standing at training ground three together, each quiet as they observed the sunset and scenery- the same as the old days.

Then Naruto yawned and said " I'm gonna go see if they're coming yet. Granny Tsuande is taking her sweet time rounding them up…" The blonde then receded to the trees where he could keep a lookout for the visitors.

For a few more moments it was silent, until Sakura broke the trance once again.

"Sasuke…" She began," Why did you leave? Really. Why?"

The stoic Uchiha looked down to see her face, her viridian eyes gleaming with hurt and longing. He had missed her, despite what he told her.

"I had to."

Sakura continued to hold his gaze with her captivating eyes.

"But why…?"

Onyx eyes sharpened as he recalled the night the mission was given…

_As he opened the door to the third Hokage's former office, he was clearly surprised to see the faces of he two advisors greet him with serious faces. _

"_Why do you need me?" he asked, shifting his gaze evenly between the two elders._

"_Do you want to protect your comrades?-your family?" The female asked, "Do you want to kill Akatsuki?"_

"_Do you want to end Itachi?" spoke the other, smirking when Sasuke's expression changed into that of in shock and anger. _

"_How do I do all of them?'' Asked the raven-haired boy, eyes sparking with interest, "What do you want from me?"_

_The council members smirked again._

His features angered for a moment, before becoming stoic once again.

"I had to."

* * *

"HEY, TEME!" Came the distinguishable voice from the woods, "They're here!"

Slowly, Sasuke turned to greet the visitors.

The rest of the Konoha 11 stood before him along with Tsunade, and Kakashi, all of the ninjas except Neji and Shino stared at him incredulously with gaping mouths.

Sasuke Uchiha was in for it.

* * *

**A/N:**

One more time, GOMEN!!!!!XP

I'm really sorry for the lateness!

Thank you "LadyRen5" and "Moonshine86" for reviewing!!! Where did my other reviewers go?!XP

Ok, so in order to (hopefully) spark your interest more…. There's a contest! So the first person to guess most accurately what pop tarts flavor is my favorite, I will tell you what is going to happen in the story! :)

(I just came up with the pop-tart thing randomly… I know it's weird! I was just looking at cute photo of a kitten popping out of a box of them on my desktop… aww! :3 )

And there's only one more thing in this longer-than-average authors note… For the readers of "Gone" I'm really sorry that I haven't updated that either! I'll definitely have the next chapter up in the next few days!

R&R!!!!

L8ter!

:) :D :P


	6. The Note

**A/N: PLEASE ACTUALLY READ THIS!!!! XP**

**Yes, I know I haven't updated in 4 months. Don't kill me!!!**

**Either I've been suffering from writers block during the maximal hour or so of free time that I have daily, or I'm just too busy (I had to finish the contest that the teacher drafted me into, as well as another contest after that, AND two personal essays). However, swimming is giving way to a month-long break, and school is letting up a bit, so I'm going to start writing again. I might not be able to uphold my original due dates- every Sunday- but I'm going to really try. :)**

**As a final note, I know that this isn't an actual chapter. I know that probably pisses some of you guys off (sorry, once again!!!) but I can't just totally start out of nowhere with the chapter sucking. So you guys- the remainders of my loyal readers- I would really appreciate it if you commented on ways how YOU want the story to go. I'll begin again by creating a mush of those ideas, and (hopefully) make it up to you all in the next week or so. :)**

**Arigatou!!! XD**

**~ XxXTigerstarzXxX**


	7. Sky

**A/N:** Yes, I finally wrote again! I think this chapter is one of the longest that I've written so far. It took me close to an hour and a half to finish. Ugh. Tell me what you think.... :)

Disclaimer: NO. Four months have passed, and I STILL do not own Naruto. Darn. XP

* * *

Three days had passed since Sasuke had greeted the Konaha 11, plus Sai, after over four years. He was certainly glad for it- the whole thing was an embarrassing disaster. Everyone reacted differently, yet, were surprisingly predictable.

Kiba looked pissed and confused. Mostly pissed (Akamaru acted likewise).

Lee had been totally mortified, striking a defensive pose with fire blazing under his caterpillar eyebrows.

Shikamaru's pupils had dilated as they made contact with the ebony glare of the lost Uchiha. He stifled a gasp- or a scream- of anger and disbelief as he saw the end result of his failed mission so long ago.

Chouji acted similarly to his usually stoic teammate, emitting a small growl, but otherwise acting normally and stuffing his face with beef-flavored BBQ chips.

Hinata and Tenten's breath caught in astonishment as they gazed upon Sasuke, recalling all the harshness that he had inflicted onto their fellow ninja.

Ino had failed at keeping her composure under control- despite the years that had passed- and broke down into tears and hysterics at the sight of her "love."

Finally, those that remained totally emotionless included Neji, Shino, and obviously, Sai.

After the first few awkward moments, they all approached Sasuke as if he were a piece of art- just one that could kill them if they set off the intolerant alarms. Naruto was the one that broke the quiet by screaming;

"TEME! What do you say to these guys after not seeing them in so long?!"

The raven-haired teenager was silent.

" I think he means to say 'yo!' "

A few select members of the welcoming committee chuckled, yet most remained silent. Seizing the moment, Tsunade stepped in, and with a certain coldness in her voice explained the hard mission that Sasuke had underwent during the past four years, and a the expressions of the crowd changed into either awed or totally disgusted. Few still remained without expression at all.

"So, Uchiha," She muttered, "You're a known hero now."

She patted his shoulder and walked away without a second glance, leaving the other ninja for catching up.

* * *

Sasuke was still in Sakura's apartment, still in the corner of her darkened living room. It was nearly five in the morning, and onyx eyes were fixed at their usual point on the large window. He was remembering the days of his mission…

_He stood on the ground, looking below where his room in the underground base had once been. There was a boy- his _replacement_- standing in the mass of cracked rocks, clutching a paintbrush and staring up at him. Anger welled up at the leaf village, how could they forget about him so easily? He would go home soon, so why did they call this annoying brat in?_

_Suddenly there was a flash of color at the far end of the crater. Color that Sasuke had not seen in years within Orochimaru's dark lairs. _Pink._ Sakura's color._

_She was quick to make her way over to the replacement, grabbing his collar fiercely and shaking his head back and fourth while screaming._

"_What was your true motive? Why were you here in the first place- to kill Sasuke- kun? When we're trying to save him? HUH?! I-"_

"_Sakura…." He had said. She dropped the boy's collar._

_Her bright head swung slowly towards her childhood crush, as she called his name, drawing out the words as if she hadn't said them in a long while. _

_Then Naruto had followed, screaming the name of his comrade and waving his fist. Now was the part of the mission that was the hardest, and Sasuke fought to keep his appearance unchanging, despite the presences of his closest friends._

"_Why didn't you kill me that day?" screeched Naruto_

" _A Whim, nothing more." Sasuke said. _

_But no, it wasn't a whim. It was so much more. He had to act like he had actually tried to kill Naruto in his battle at the Final Valley. He had to do whatever means necessary to escape and finish his mission through to the end. It was for the good of Konoha, and all of it's inhabitants. _

_Instead he stated that he couldn't stand following in is brother's footsteps. A true lie, enforced by his early childhood memories. _

_With the speed of his Raikiri, the missing-nin flitted to the blonde boy's side, a hand atop his shoulder._

"_You wanted to be Hokage, am I correct? All the time you spent chasing after me would have been better off spent in training. Right, Naruto?" came the dead voice. The one that was now permanent and without a drop of happiness- he was saving it for his return. _

"_But this time, my whim is telling me to finish what I started…"_

_He pulled out the silver kusanagi, and positioned it to enter Naruto's heart from the back. As the blade swung down, the sharingan could see what would occur- the other nameless boy would block the attack and save the knucklehead._

_The event only took a few seconds, and at the end, both boys were lying a the feet of the Snake's apprentice, electrified with only a minor voltage. Sakura glared at her comrades, eyes sparking, and began to run forward with her fist glowing in azure chakra._

_Without thinking, Sasuke shoved the kusanagi forward, overtaken with the rush of battle and ignoring the fact that it was _Sakura.

'NO!' _he growled in his mind, willing his body to stop from injuring her. Luckily the captain interfered. _

_Momentarily stunned, Sasuke backed up, and was soon trapped under a wooden dome. Ina split second, he wondered, why couldn't he just stop now? He'd already gained access to all of Orochimaru's secrets, and knew where the bases would shift to in every passing month. Technically his mission was fulfilled. It tugged at his heart to see his teammates searching for him so desperately, and not to be able to go back to them. Maybe he could break the confidentiality of the mission, an tell Konoha…?_

_But no, he had to see it through to the end. Otherwise the last three years spent in torture would be wasted. He snapped through the wooden barrier and resumed his position at the rim of the huge hole. _

_Then he had deteriorated as a flame devoured him in his escape with Orochimaru. _

_Sakura was left behind, tears spilling from her determined viridian eyes as she saw what could have been. _

'Sakura…'

* * *

Ebony met emerald seconds afterward in the light of the rising sun, as the boy's eyes opened to see Sakura's face a few inches from his.

"There's a guest room down the hall. I've already told you," Sakura deadpanned. A black head bobbed in response.

Seeing no movement on Sasuke's part, Sakura grumbled and slid down to the ground beside her friend, and followed his gaze out the window. To Sasuke's discomfort, she slung an arm over his shoulder and sighed. He still wasn't one for close contact.

"I still don't understand… why you look at the sky so much…" she muttered.

"Hn…"

'_It was my only friend in the Sound, whenever I could see it. And the sun here is more colorful- with pinks and yellows and blues- it reminds me of Naruto and you._

"Why don't you ever answer?" This time with a little more humor.

* * *

**ANOTHER A/N:**

Ok, more about updating (you KNOW you love it!) I will try to do so every two weeks minimally for this story. I still need to get going with "Gone" and the other "works-in-progress". Yup that's it... for now.

Also, I would like to that my _only_ reviewer, "Twisted Musalih" (*Kills other former reviewers*). No, it's ok. You guys are probably fed up with my laziness. Payback. XD

To end on a funny note, I was rehearsing for a concert with two of my friends, and we were doing part of it with a jazz band. When the band had a solo, one of my friends said something along the lines of "OMG, the piano part is wicked sick!!!" and another girl ( about two year younger than us) turned around with a confuzzled look on her face and asks us "I that older kid talk or something?". My friend and I let out a long string of ''Ummm's ". Is it just me, or is it weird that people don't know the expression 'sick' anymore?!?! It's NOT OLD PEOPLE TALK!!!!! XP

Ja ne!

:D :P :)


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